Man welcomes newborn son, says goodbye to brain-dead wife

A Canadian man has to say goodbye to his brain-dead wife just one day after he welcomed his newborn son into the world.
'Dylan Benson's wife, Robyn, was declared brain dead back in December. She was just 22 weeks pregnant at the time, but doctors were able to keep her body functioning just long enough so that her baby could keep growing.' (Via WTTE)

On Saturday, doctors delivered the couple's newborn son, Iver. A hospital spokesperson told CNN the baby is currently in a neonatal intensive care unit and could be there for eight more weeks.

Benson wrote on his Facebook page that little Iver is doing well - he's healthy and pretty darn cute to boot. But he's still trying to cope with the loss of his beloved wife.

"It's the best thing that's happened to me as far as having him here, and obviously there's nothing worse than losing your partner,' Benson said.

Robyn Benson was declared brain-dead just a few hours after she told her husband she had a 'terrible, terrible headache' and sent him out to get some Tylenol.

When Dylan got home, Robyn was unresponsive but still breathing. An ambulance rushed her to the hospital where doctors found she had suffered a brain hemorrhage. She was 22 weeks pregnant.

Doctors told Dylan they could keep his wife alive until their baby was ready to be born via a cesarean section. That day came Saturday at 7:12 p.m., reports The Vancouver Sun.

Dylan said he hoped Robyn could be kept on a ventilator for a few more weeks after Iver's birth. But just hours after the surgery, doctors took her off life support, and she died.

Benson is still trying to cope with the idea of raising his son without his wife, but he has lots of support pouring in from all over the world from those who have heard his heartbreaking story.

A fundraiser started on YouCaring.com for the new dad quickly surpassed its goal of $36,000. As of Wednesday morning, people had donated more than $180,000 to help Dylan with Iver's expenses.

Dylan says that even though Iver was born at a tiny two pounds, 13 ounces, he's doing very well.

My third grand-child was born just over a month ago....all is well with mother and child....I love them both so and it breaks even the hardest of hearts to see such tragedy in anyone's life....everyone should be thankful for the good things that life hands you, one never knows when things can change

That is SO sad but I'm glad the little guy is doing well ! That would be devestating to lose your spouse and have to raise your baby alone but thank God for family and hopefully he has a lot on both sides that are willing to help out. As for Verdad677del = You obvioulsy have a crappy life because I've seen your name on these boards and all your comments are negative A HOLE rantings!GET SOME HELP! YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE MENTAL! You're also a WAD!

I agree Gina. God help this demented individual. The mom (I speak for her as I am a mother) would not have wanted her unborn to die with her. Good luck to the dad and all who loved her while they love and raise this precious gift from God!

I'm alarmed by the comments here, particularly the post suggesting that the husband got to use the wife for "a little hanky panky" while she was on life support. Do people really have such evil opinions nowadays?? Have any of you actually witnessed someone on a ventilator first-hand? Well, I have, when my mom was dying from a massive stroke last summer. It's an invasive, violent procedure--not like you see on TV where someone is just comfortably lying in bed breathing along without a care in the world. The person has constant struggles and convulsions and is in a state of persistent discomfort. If you ever had a loved one on a ventilator and were faced with the decision of whether to remove it or not, believe me--you would stop it in a minute it if you could because it's worse torture than you could imagine doing to an animal, much less a person. I'm sure this husband had to witness his wife suffering in this way and decided to prolong her life just because he knew she would have, most of all, wanted their baby to be born. Why do I even read posts like this? It seems like my fellow human beings are becoming more and more critical and cruel.

Some people are just sick in the head and think everything in life's a joke. One can only hope someone so callous and dimented will suffer something similar to themselves and to someone they love. Let's see how funny it is then. I'm sorry for what you went through.

My Dad was on a ventilator and he didn't have any struggles or convulsions and he rested comfortably. Finally able to breath on his on, he was taken off. Your mother must have had other problems. I'm sorry for your loss.